October 8 is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years). There are 84 days remaining until the end of the year. (Photo: Che Guevara)

Today in History

• This day does not exist in Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain because of the adoption of the Gregorian calendar (1582)
• The Second Opium War begins (1856)
• Corporal Alvin C. York kills 28 German soldiers and captures 132 more in the Argonne Forest, earning the Medal of Honor (1918)
• Yankee Don Larsen pitches the only perfect World Series game to date (1956)
• Che Guevara is captured by CIA-backed Bolivian troops with the alleged support of Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie (1967)
• Cats begins its 18-year run on Broadway (1982)

Birthdays

• Harriet Taylor Mill, women’s rights philosopher (1807)
• Eddie Rickenbacker, ace (1890)
• Juan Péron, Argentinian president (1895)
• Kirk Alyn, first film Superman (1910)
• Gus Hall, American communist candidate for president (1910)
• Walter Lord, Titanic chronicler (1917)
• Frank Herbert, Dune creator (1920)
• Rona Barrett, gossip columnist (1936)
• Paul Hogan, Crocodile Dundee player (1939)
• Harvey Pekar, American Splendor creator (1939)
• Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist (1941)
• Chevy Chase, comedian (and you’re not) (1943)
• R. L. Stine, Goosebumps creator (1943)
• Dennis Kucinich, politician (1946)
• Johnny Ramone, punk rocker (1948)
• Sigourney Weaver, actress (1949)
• Bill Elliott, race car driver (1955)
• Stephanie Zimbalist, actress (1956)
• CeCe Winans, gospel singer (1964)
• Matt Biondi, swimmer (1965)
• C.J. Ramone, punk rocker (1965)
• Matt Damon, actor (1970)
• Nick Cannon, rapper and TV personality (1980)
• Bruno Mars, singer-songwriter (1985)
• Molly Quinn, Castle daughter (1993)

Deaths

• Henry Fielding, author (1754)
• John Hancock, Declaration signer (1793)
• Franklin Pierce, 14th US president (1869)
• Larry Semon, first Scarecrow (1928)
• Red Ames, pitcher (1936)
• Wendell Wilkie, presidential candidate (1944)
• Felix Salten, Bambi author (1945)
• Clement Attlee, UK prime minister (1967)
• Fernando Lamas, actor (1982)
• Willy Brandt, German chancellor (1992)
• John McLendon, basketball coach (1999)
• Al Davis, football executive (2011)
• Roger Williams, pianist (2011)

Holidays

• Air Force Day (India)
• Face Your Fears Day (Unofficial)
• Feast of Pelagia (Christianity)
• Independence Day (Croatia)
• Navy Day (Peru)
• Touch Tag Day (America)